Railway-signal



(No Model.)

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RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W. RIGGS. RAILWAY $IGNAL.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

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RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 408,671. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

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RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

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RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No, 408,671. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

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N. PETERS, phowumu m lmr, Washington, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPII XV. RIGGS, OF ST. PAUL, ASSIGNOR TO THE RIGGS ELECTRIC TRAV- ELING DANGER SIGNAL COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

RAI LWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,671, dated August 6, 1889.

Application filed September 13, 1888. Serial No. 285,292. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH W. RIGGS, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented .a new and Improved Railway Signal, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a diagram of a section of track and the conductor. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the track and conductor, showing the circuit as completed through the trains. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the conductor at a crossing. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the conductor. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the track and conductor at a crossing. Fig. Sis a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 9 is aside elevation, partly in section, of the brush for taking the current from the conductor. Fig. 10 is a trans verse section taken on line 50min Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan view of a swing-bridge, showing the arrangement of the circuit-closers. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan View of the bridge-circuit closer. Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of alarm devices carried by the locomotive. Fig. 14. is an enlarged sectional View of the current-reversing switch. Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional view of the switch operated by the throttle-valve lever. Fig. 16 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 17 is a sectional side elevation of the switching mechanism, showing the switch in one position. Fig. 18 is an enlarged vertical section of the electric switch. Fig. 19 is a side sectional elevation of the switch in a reverse position, and Fig. 20 is a horizontal section of the electric switch.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple and effective railway-signal to be used for signaling from one train to another in case of accident and for the prevention of collisions and derailment at draw-bridges and switches.

The invention consists in the particular construction and arrangement of parts, as

hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Between the track-rails A A is located a central rail B, having in the upper edge thereof a groove O, in which are placed three conductors a a a preferably formed of flat plates of iron or steel, placed edgewise in the groove 0, and separated from each other and from the grooved track-rail B by an insulating-filling D. The conductors a a a are arranged in groups of three each of convenient and suitable length, two of the conductors of each group being connected with two of the next succeeding group, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the conductor a of the first group being connected by a wire or conductor 0 with the conductor a of the second group, and the conductor a of the first group is connected bya wire or conductor 0 with the conductor a of the second group, and so 011 throughout the entire series of conductors. By this arrangement it will be seen that one bar of each section has its terminal at the end of the said section, the second bar has its terminal at the end of the second section, and the third bar its terminal at" the end of the third section.

At the crossings the conductors upon one side are connected with the conductors upon the opposite side of the crossing by wires d 01 d which extend under the highway or other railway through a pipe E. At the ends of the sections of the rail B the upper edges of the conductors (at their ends) and the connectingstrips c c are concaved or cut away, as shown in Fig. 4;, to prevent the brush which takes off the current from catching the ends of the conductors a. a o

The rail B is somewhat higher than the regular traclerails A A, but is not su fficiently high to be struck by the pilot or by any part of thelocomotive or car. From the pilot or from some car of the train is suspended a loop e, upon which is placed an insulating-sleeve f, which carries a metallic sleeve g, to which is attached the metallic brush-back h of the brush E, which is filled with elastic steel and copper wires 0;, arranged in electrical communication with the back 71. and adapted to brush along the upper end of the conductingrail B, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The sleeve 9 is connected with an electrical conductor j, which extends to the cab of the locomotive, and is connected with the alarm mechanism, presently to be described.

Each locomotive is provided with the de vices shown in Fig. 13, which are arranged for sending and receiving'an alarm. In the circuit of the battery F is placed the electric bell G, and wires extend from the battery F to the switch contact-points k Z, the positive current passing to the contact-point 7c and the negative to the point Z. The point 7a is connected electrically with the point 7s, and the point Z is connected electrically with the point Z, the said connections being crossed, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 18.

To the base H, which supports the bell G and the contact-points 713 7r Z Z, are pivoted the switch-arms m m, which are connected with each other mechanically, but not electrically, so that they may both move simultaneously. The pivot 01 the switch mis eonnected with the binding-postn, and the pivot of the switch m is connected with the binding-post a.

Upon the locomotive-boiler and opposite the path of the throttle-valve lever l are supported a pair of contact-springs o 0', which are insulated from each other, the contactspring 0 being connected with the bindingpost it, the contact-spring 0 being connected with the brush E. Upon the throttle-valve lever I is secured a metallic wedge J, having an insulating-face p. A wire connects the throttle-valve lever I with the binding-post a, and the throttle-valve'lever is also connected with the ground through the truck wheels and the rail A.

At every swing-bridge K there are two contact-breakers q, each consisting of a box 0, through which passes a rod s,,carrying upon its outer end a beveled head I, and having within the box a collar a, which, together with the rod 5, is pressed by a spring 1 so as to bring the said collar a into contact with the contact-piece to. One wire of the circuit of the conducting-rail B is connected with the collar a. The other wire is connected with the contact-piece w. The contactbreakers q are arranged upon the approach of the swing-bridge K at diagonally-opposite corners of the bridge and these corners of the bridge are provided with striking-plates e for engaging the heads t as the bridge is closed.

The railway-track switch L consists of the switch-rails M, the rod N, connected with the switclrrails, and the switch-stand 0, provided with a vertical red I, having a crank f for receiving the rod N, with a hand-lever g for turning the shaft P, and with a plate 7t for indicating in the usual way whether the switch is open or closed.

Under the track is laid a pipe Q, which contains two conductors 2" j. The conductor 17' is connected with the central conductingrail 13, and the conductor is connected with the main-track rails A. The pipe Q and the conductors 'i'j extend beyond the switchstand 0, and the said conductors 11' extend upwardly through a vertical iron pipe It, the conductor i being connected with the contact-plate p and the conductor j being connected electrically with the shaft in the case S.

The case S is provided with glass sides, and in it is placed an arm 0" upon the shaft 1, which also serves as an electric switch-arm. To the shaft q is secured an arm t, which is connected by a connecting-rod a with an arm n, attached to the plate It, so that when the said plate 7t is turned the arm r is also turned. lV hen the switch is set so that the main track is straight, the arm r is free from cont-act with the stationary plate 1); but when the switch is turned the arm comesin contact with the plate and closes the circuit, so that the signal upon the cars will indicate danger. The main rails and the switch-rails are connected electrically.

The operation of my improved railway signal is as follows: The switch-arms mm being arranged on the contact-points 7t" Z on all the trains going in one direction (say cast) and the switch-arms upon all the trains go ing west being on the contact-points 7.: Z, the circuit remains open so long as three of the conductors a a a are touched by only one brush; but when a train carrying another brush approaches within the length olj three of the said conductors a connection is made which completes the circuit between them, which runs from one of the conductors a, a, or a of the rail B to the brush E, thence to the springs 0' 0 on the locomotive, to the switch-arm 772, through the contact-point l, thence to contact-point 7, thence to one pole of the battery, through the bell (1- back to the contact-point 7t, thence to the contact-point 7t, switclrarm m, binding-post a, throttlelever I into the track A or ground, and in a reverse direction through the same devices carried by the trains,-so that the bell G on both trains is rung, notifying the engineers of the two trains that they are both on the same section of track. The engineers of the trains, in shutting oil? steam by means of the throttle-valve lever I, break the circuit between the springs o 0, which movement instantly acts with all intent and purpose as the closing together of the plates in the bridge and switch-boxes or the laying of an iron bar from one rail of the track to the conducting-barsit closes the circuit-so that if another train happens along it will get the alarm.

3y means of my improved conductor I am enabled to divide the track up into sections without the necessity of any complicated switches or traclcinstruments.

Having thus described my invention, I cla lm as new and desi re to secure by Letters Iatent 1. In a railway-signal, a compound. conductor consisting of three parallel flat bars or. plates placed edgewise in sections and embedded in an insulating material except at their upper exposed edges, one bar or plate of each section having its terminal at the end of said section, the second bar or plate having its terminal at the end of the second section, and the thirdbar or plate having its terminal at the end of the third section, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway-signal, a compound conductor consisting of a support provided in its top With a longitudinal vertical groove having a filling of insulating material, and the flat paralleled spaced plates embedded edgewise in said material in sections, with their upper edges only exposed,one bar or plate of each section having its terminal at the end of said section, the second bar or plate having its terminal at the end of the second section, and the third bar or plate having its terminal at the end of the third section, substantially as set forth.

3. I11 a railway-signal, the comb nation,with the car and the compound conducting-rail B, of the brush E, formed of the metallic back h, the Wires t', the insulating-sleeve f, the metallic sleeve g, and the loop 6, suspended from the bottom of the car and adapted to support the brush in the position of use, substantially as specified.

4. In a railway-signal, the combination of the compound conductor having three parallel conductors arranged in sections connected together, as described, a metallic brush E, the pivoted switch-arms m m, connected together and one of them connected to the brush, the contact-points 7t 79 Z Z, the points 70 7a and H being connected together, the battery F, connected to the contact-points k l, and the bell G, connected to the battery, substantially as described.

5. In a railway-signal, the combination of the compound conducting-rail B, having three parallel conductors in each section connected by diagonal connections, as described, the metallic brush E, the switch-arms m m, the con tact-points 70 Z 70 Z, the battery F, the alarmbell G, the contact-springs o 0, and the circuit-opening Wedge J, provided with the insulating-surface 12, substantially as specified.

6. In a railway-signal,' the combination,with the circuit-Wires, of the springs 0 0 insulated from each other, the throttle-valve lever I, and the Wedge J, provided with the insulatingsurface 1), the springs o 0 being arranged in the path of the Wedge J, substantially as specified.

7. In a railway-signal, the co1nbination,with the electrical conducting-rail l3 and switchstand 0, of the branch conductors i'j, shaft q, provided with the arm 25', the arm 0", the rod 10, and arm 1;, attached to the switchstand, substantially as specified.

JOSEPH NV. RIGGS.

\Vitnesses:

DAVID E. BAILEY, L. E. OGLE. 

